


Brave

by LouBee



Category: Cormoran Strike Series - Robert Galbraith
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-07
Updated: 2020-09-07
Packaged: 2021-03-06 23:01:12
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 833
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26343028
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LouBee/pseuds/LouBee
Summary: They're talking about a new case... aren't they?
Relationships: Robin Ellacott/Cormoran Strike
Comments: 8
Kudos: 53





	Brave

Strike dropped onto the threadbare sofa and sent his partner a quizzical look. "I don't know why they do it."

Robin blinked. She'd been wrestling with the wording of a tricky invoice and hadn't noticed him come in. "Why who do what?"

"Our clients." Strike stretched out his leg and rubbed at his knee. "Just come off the phone with a Mrs Allen. Same old same old – husband's keeping a secret, out when he's supposed to be in, taking a sudden interest in aftershave and his waistline." He sighed.

"But as you say, same old same old. We wouldn't have much of a business if everyone behaved themselves."

"But this pair. She gave me the whole low-down, whether I wanted it or not."

Robin grinned. "You know they always do that."

"Yes, well. She told me they met when they were graduate trainees at some city accountancy firm. They were both going out with partners from university at the time so for years they were just friends. Passed their accountancy exams, started climbing the greasy pole, doing well. Then they decided to strike out on their own, so they set up their own little firm."

"Ah," said Robin. "A family business. I can see why it would be difficult if they split up now."

"That's just the point." Strike looked over at his partner. "They weren't together when they started the business. The university boyfriend had gone and been replaced. I gather that the university girlfriend had been traded in quite a few times by this point."

"So…" 

"So then, a few years into this venture and with the business still quite precarious, Mr Allen decided to make his move. He told her that he'd wanted her for years but that she'd never seemed interested."

"Aw," said Robin, smiling. "Sounds romantic."

Strike's eyebrows disappeared into his hairline and Robin thought for moment. In a careful voice, she said, "Quite brave, too." 

Strike frowned. "How so?"

Pink spots formed on Robin's cheeks. She hoped he hadn't noticed. "Well, what if she'd said no?"

"Exactly!" said Strike, jabbing a finger in his direction, and she blinked. "Not brave, more like stupid. She said she hadn't given him any encouragement. He went blundering in after one too many beers. He could have screwed everything up, just when the business was beginning to get going. The business wouldn't have survived if she'd left. And they'd been friends, good friends." His voice trailed off.

"But I presume she didn't say no," said Robin slowly, and Strike nodded. 

"Lucky for him, she succumbed to his charms and both they and the business thrived for the next twenty years. Until Mr Allen's eye was caught by a temp in, and I quote, an unsuitable top cheap earnings, and well, here we are."

Robin thought for a moment. "Are you saying that he shouldn't have told her what he felt in case it damaged the business?" She stared at Strike, whose own gaze was now looked rather uncomfortable.

"He shouldn't have risked it," he said. He took a breath and then looked again at Robin. "Anyway, I've been proved right, haven't I? If he's having an affair it'll be the end of their firm."

"Maybe, maybe not." Strike raised his eyebrows. "Maybe they'll be able to carry on with the business even if the marriage ends."

Strike said, "Maybe," but she could hear the scepticism in his voice. The fridge in the corner hummed while Robin thought. 

"They had twenty years together," she said softly. "They may yet have twenty more. Wouldn't you say that's worth having? Wasn't it a risk worth taking?" 

Strike shook his head. "They should have kept it separate," he muttered.

"But then they'd never have known." Robin sneaked a look at her partner. He was staring down at the floor, scowling. She could feel the tension radiating from his frame. 

Robin took a breath. "I would want to know," she said, and she faltered for a moment as his eyes suddenly rose to meet hers, dark and intent. After a beat, she said, "I'm not brave. I can't imagine myself making the first move. But if someone felt that way about me…" Her gaze dropped. "Well. I'd want to know."

The silence lengthened in the tiny space. Robin gave herself a small shake and picked up the troublesome invoice. "Anyway," she said brightly. "Better get on."

For a moment Strike said nothing, just looked at her as she held up the invoice. He opened his mouth and as though to speak, but then he closed it again and hauled himself up from the sofa. He walked towards his office and her heart picked up speed as he turned at the door, staring down at her with an unreadable expression on his face. She rose her eyebrows in question but he gave a small shake of his head. "Nothing," he said, and thought she heard him sigh as he sat in front of Mrs Allen's new file.


End file.
